Former Des Moines School Superintendent Ian Roberts will be taking a plea deal in his federal criminal case, new court filings show.
Roberts, who was hired to lead the district in 2023, submitted his resignation Sept. 30, days after he was arrested while allegedly trying to flee from Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Federal officials have since said Roberts, a native of Guyana, was not a U.S. citizen and lacked legal authorization to work in the United States. Those were among multiple other apparent mistruths and exaggerations about his background and qualifications.
In addition to a pending order of deportation, Roberts also was indicted Oct. 16 on two counts for possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and making a false statement for employment. Prosecutors alleged that Roberts illegally had four guns, including a loaded handgun left in his district-owned vehicle after he fled from ICE, and that he falsely attested he was a United States citizen when filling out his I-9 employment authorization to work in Des Moines…